Ideas please....lame horse

l_i_z_z_i_e

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I'll start at the beginning. Monday last week my horse became very itchy. She has ongoing allergy problems. Had vet out and she has had painkillers, steroids (powdered) and was sedated on Monday. Steroid course finished on Friday. She was very irritated for a couple of days and did a lot of pacing around the field.

I went out for the day on sat and on the way home had a call saying horse didn't look right. I went home on my way back and horse was hopping lame. Couldn't bring her into stable as she scratches on wall and will hurt herself. Called the vet who came straight out to have a look about 9pm sat eve.

Vet examined her, removed shoe. Very lame on near fore, strong pulse in that leg, and slight heat in the foot. Slight reaction to hoof testers on inside side of foot. Vet said to poultice, and we would arrange for farrier in a few days and see how she goes. 2x bute a day in dinner.

Farrier came this morning (3.5 days after vet visit), had a good look around, parred a bit of hoof away, but can't find anything. No reaction to hoof testers today. He has put shoe back on and she looks a little less lame with shoe on. She just fell asleep as usual when shoes was put back on, so farrier thinks its very unlikely it's an abscess. Outcome was that we couldn't really rule out anything at this stage.

So she has gone back out in her little pen in the field with hay, no poultice, and small space so limited walking and grass. Farrier is going to talk to vet (he was going there after) and let me know what they both think.

Both vet and farrier thinks it's unlikely to be laminitis, but a small chance it could be due to steroids. Farrier said could poss be bruised, tweaked something. My concern with this is that she is pretty lame, not just a little bit. She bruised her foot before and was a little bit off, not like this.

Any other ideas of things to try or what might be wrong? Has anyone had anything similar before?
 
I have found over the years that the sort of lameness you describe is usually in the hoof, unless of course there is an obvious injury. I would personally get the farrier out in a couple of days if she is still lame.

I wouldn't poultice the hoof unless there was an obvious abscess as you will just be softening the hoof. Keep checking for possible exit holes.

I haven't got any experience with lameness caused by steroids, sorry, hope she improves.
 
Thank you. Both vet and farrier are sure it is in the hoof. Just a question of what is causing it!

Farrier did say 'you may well be seeing a lot more of me'! Might be right!

Poulticing has stopped this morning after farrier came, and on his advice, and he doesn't think it's an abscess at all.
 
I've seen steroid induced laminitis (sadly). It affects all feet simultaneously, fronts react more than hinds. Look for bulging coronary band in the early stages, coupled with stiffness, or lameness. Injected steroids are worse, so yours might not be this. If you're sure it's only one foot then it's unlikely to be steroid induced laminitis, the body doesn't discriminate between feet!

Good luck for a simple outcome
 
She was crippled this morning so had vet and farrier again and they think it is lami now in all 4 legs. Nerve blocked her very lame leg and she then looked lame on all legs :-( Poor horse.
 
Oh no Lizzie, poor pony :(. I've also seen steroid-induced lami . . . and it's the reason a former vet was very reluctant to prescribe steroids. I hope your mare makes a full (and quick) recovery.

P
 
She was crippled this morning so had vet and farrier again and they think it is lami now in all 4 legs. Nerve blocked her very lame leg and she then looked lame on all legs :-( Poor horse.
Oh no. I'm very sorry to read this. Acute laminitis needs long term box rest on deep shavings and regular skilled foot balancing. Be extremely cautious about any movement until all symptoms have desisted. What a shame.
 
Luckily she only seems to be doing a bit of itching in the stable, so she has been able to come in. Hopefully it will say this way. Have placed bedding bales on the floor in her favourite itching places to stop her getting to the wall which she is having fun destroying...pleased she is still up to mischief a bit.

She is on a thick bed, shredded security paper, with the vet said is great.

Have a great farrier as well so following xrays he will be busy i'm sure.

She certainly won't be having steroids again. Devastated.
 
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